System and Method for Treating Cartilage and Injuries to Joints and Connective Tissue

Abstract

Various embodiments provide systems and methods of treating damaged cartilage injuries to joints and connective tissue. Methods and systems useful for permanent relief of pain in joints are also provided herein. Various embodiments provide for combining therapeutic ultrasound energy directed to a joint with a medicant injected into the joint.

1 . A method of non-invasive micro-fraction surgery, the method comprising:
 identifying an injury location comprising damaged cartilage;   directing a conformal distribution of ultrasound energy to at least one of cartilage and surrounding subcutaneous tissue in the injury location;   ablating the at least one of cartilage and surrounding subcutaneous tissue in the injury location;   fracturing a portion of the cartilage in the injury location;   initiating re-growth of the cartilage at the injury location; and   sparing intervening tissue between a surface of skin above the injury location and the at least one of cartilage and surrounding subcutaneous tissue in the injury location.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising welding a portion of the cartilage at the injury location with the conformal distribution of ultrasound energy. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising creating a plurality of micro ablations in at least one of the cartilage and the surrounding subcutaneous tissue in the injury location. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising increasing blood perfusion to the injury location. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the surrounding subcutaneous tissue is bone. 
     
     
         6 . The method according the  claim 5 , further comprising microscoring a portion of the bone with the conformal distribution of ultrasound energy to initiate re-growth of the cartilage onto the bone. 
     
     
         7 . A method of treating an injury in a joint, the method comprising:
 targeting injured fibrous soft tissue located in at least one of at and proximate to an injury location comprising a portion of a joint;   directing therapeutic ultrasound energy to the injured fibrous son tissue;   creating a conformal region of elevated temperature in the injured fibrous soft tissue; and   creating at least one thermally induced biological effect in the injured fibrous soft tissue.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the thermally induced biological effect is at least one of coagulation, increased perfusion, reduction of inflammation, generation of heat shock proteins, and initiation of healing cascade. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising targeting a capsule in the portion of the joint; and treating inflamed tissue at nr proximate to the capsule. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising driving a medicant into the injured soft fibrous tissue. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising activating the medicant with the therapeutic ultrasound energy, wherein the medicant is a steroid. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising peaking inflammation in the injury location and initiating a coagulation cascade in at least a portion of the joint. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising welding a portion of the injured fibrous soft tissue with the conformal ultrasound energy and repairing a tear in the portion of the joint. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising stimulating collagen growth in a portion of the joint with the conformal ultrasound energy. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising creating a plurality of micro lesions in a portion of a tendon of the joint; scoring a portion of the tendon; releasing strain in the tendon; and stimulating healing in the tendon. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the injured fibrous soft tissue is one of a muscle, a tendon, a ligament, and a capsule.